By Lori Ehde
During a painful work session last week, Luverne School Board and administration reviewed possible cuts to balance the budget of more than $400,000 the district is spending over revenues this year.

The proposed cuts don't take into account Gov. Jesse Ventura's threat of no new money for K-12 education next year.

No matter how the budget axe falls, the cuts will mean quality staff will lose their jobs and students will lose valuable programs.

What about the available $1.5 million?
The district has a $1.5 million operating fund balance. This includes the general fund, transportation, food service and community education.

These dollars are used for cash flowing monthly expenses.

In light of that much available cash, it's hard to understand the need to trim $400,000 at all - particularly from the perspective of teachers who may lose their jobs.

"This is $1.5 million extra money the taxpayers have given them," said Luverne High School guidance counselor Craig Nelson.

Nelson, past president of the teachers' union, said it's better to tap into some of the reserves than to lose important programs.

"Nobody feels we have programs that aren't necessary for children," he said.

From the board's perspective, it's true that there's a $1.5 million fund balance in the district's coffers. But that doesn't mean that money is necessarily up for grabs.

"Most of us wouldn't keep a zero balance in our checking accounts," said District Financial Officer Marlene Mann. "It's a $10 million budget, and you need to keep some money in there for cash flow."

Superintendent Vince Schaefer pointed out that the cuts are being proposed as a direct result of this year's budget.

"Expenditures should equal revenue; otherwise it's deficit spending," Schaefer said. "We're trying to be proactive and prevent going broke."

$630,000 for operating reserves
Of the $1.5 million that was on the books at the start of the school year, the largest and most controversial balance is in the general fund earmarked for operating reserve. In July, that came to $630,000.

"The board has always said we should keep about three months worth of operating capital in reserve," Mann said. "Now it's down to less than one month at the end of this year."

After this year's deficit spending, that balance will be about $200,000.

$336,000 for severance pay for retiring staff
There are eight Luverne staff members eligible to retire who are currently on staff.

If they were to all retire, and assuming roughly $25,000 each for first-year severance packages, the $336,000 severance reserve would be depleted by $200,000.

In addition, 10 people retired between 1998 and 2000 who will continue to receive insurance benefits through 2010.

"It's like we've already bought our stuff, and we've got it on a credit card, and we have to pay it off," Mann said.

Teachers and staff agree it's important to plan for these expenses, but Nelson pointed out that retirements also can mean a savings for the district.

This would be especially true in the case where a retiree leaves at the top of the pay scale ($52,000) and is replaced by someone at the bottom of the scale ($25,000).

"That money's always replenished," Nelson said. "Ultimately it can be used as general fund money."

$328,000 in the transportation fund
The balance in the transportation fund is partially from depreciation aid when the state funded transportation vehicles separately.

The dollars are used for transportation salaries, benefits, vehicle maintenance and to provide for insurance, fuel and vehicle replacement.

In the past couple of years, the balance has grown, because the district hasn't been forced to replace expensive vehicles.

But looming on the horizon - probably as early as next year - will be the purchase of a $50,000 special needs bus.

Also, threatening that fund balance is projected $3 per gallon fuel costs for next year.

"If we spend that balance down, these costs would have to be covered out of the general fund balance," Mann said.

$164,000 in the food service fund
Schaefer and Mann said the food service balance has grown through the years under good management of Food Service Director Lorraine Becker.

Kitchen improvements are anticipated to take about $70,000 out of that fund next year, but the remainder is designated for food service expenses.

"That's money that cannot be transferred out," Mann said.

Community Ed, staff development and grad standards
Remaining areas of Luverne's budget that showed balances at the start of this school year are Community Education, staff development and graduation standards.

The $30,000 grad standards balance will be depleted by the end of this year.

The staff development fund shows a balance of more than $39,000, and Community Education had nearly $39,000 at the start of the year.

Good management or crying wolf?
Of the $1.5 million that appeared in Luverne's fund balance at the start of the school year, Mann said an estimated $450,000 will be gone after this year's deficit spending.

The shortfall this year is due in part to high heating costs, snow removal, all day every day kindergarten, an extra third grade teacher who was needed for a larger class and contract settlements.

In addition, the district lost nearly $100,000 from the reduction of 20 students since the start of the school year.

Nelson said he has a hard time taking the funding woes seriously considering Luverne's budget history.

"As teachers and parents we find it difficult to accept that we'll have a deficit when we've never had one," Nelson said.

"I wish before they made cuts that they'd wait and see. Then, if they need to dip into the surplus, then do it. It's like the boy that cried wolf. Every two years we hear about the district going broke and it never happens."

Eugene Marshall gets in on the treasure hunt with his kids Ethan (left) and Erica Saturday morning at Mary Jane Brown Good Samaritan's Easter egg hunt. In each plastic shell was a piece of candy with a Bible verse. Children who opened eggs containing the passage from John 3:16 won special prizes. According to MJB community relations coordinator Brenda Plimpton, 1,200 eggs were prepared for event, and most of the children managed to collect five to seven eggs.

Photo by Lori Ehde

By Lori Ehde
Sandra Dowie, Luverne, suffered a heart attack two years ago. Since then, her doctor put her on a low-sodium diet, instructing her to avoid products with more than 350 milligrams of sodium.

"Did you know your average can of Campbell's soup can have more than 1,000 milligrams?" Dowie said. "It's really hard to buy anything with less than 350 milligrams of sodium. People need to read their labels."

In her search for special groceries, Dowie has leaned heavily on The Little Buying Club on the Prairie, which allows her to purchase otherwise costly "health foods" in bulk at a reasonable price.

Dowie started the Little Buying Club on the Prairie in Luverne several years ago with a couple other local families, and today the club boasts more than 30 members who have joined for various reasons.

To learn their reasons is a study in healthy living. Some simply feel better knowing they're eating food that's chemical-free. For others, their health depends on it.

Luverne's Cheryl Mahaffay suffers muscle aches, sinus congestion and headaches from several common food ingredients.

"I have been eliminating wheat, corn, dairy and sugar for about six months now and have lost 20 pounds and feel much healthier," Mahaffay said.

She said the Buying Club has helped her do this. "It is difficult to find food without these ingredients in the typical grocery store," she said, "but by poring over the thousands of items in our Blooming Prairie catalog I can do this."

She said local grocers have accommodated her where possible, but by pooling orders with other members in the Buying Club she has more options.

Members meet every four weeks to place their orders and share thoughts about previous orders theyÕve tried.

"You don't have to come to the meetings to order," Dowie said, "but I like to come just to see what people are ordering and to get ideas."

For example at their last meeting, Monday, April 2, members compared notes on nitrate-free hotdogs and low-sodium potato chips.

Dowie said she'd be interested in ordering a case of the chips, if anyone else wanted to share in half or part of the case.

A popular item that day was organically-grown raisins. Buying Club members say raisins are the worst fruit to buy on the regular market because most grapes are grown with pesticides and herbicides, and when they're dried down, those chemicals are concentrated in the raisins.

"I cringe at the thought of what the average person consumes in the way of food additives and pesticide residues," Mahaffay said.

Purchasing health food through the club is cheaper than buying it individually on the shelf, but many members say the savings is only part of why they joined.

"I feel it is a small price to pay to eat unadulterated foods as much as possible," Mahaffay said.

Orders are placed through Blooming Prairie Natural Foods in Minneapolis, and to receive shipping discounts, the club must place bulk orders totaling $700 or more.

"We never have any trouble meeting that quota," Dowie said.

Blooming Prairie offers organic fruits and vegetables, juices and dairy products, dairy substitutes, soy foods, baked goods, some meat products and more.

Buying Club members are excited about the prospect of a local grower who has committed to supplying members with organically-grown produce.

Alex Miller of Sorella Farms north of Hardwick will plant standard vegetables, such as sweet corn, potatoes, carrots, etc., and he will also take special orders for other produce.
For local buyers, that will mean a reliable source of locally, naturally-grown produce. "WeÕre really excited about it," Dowie said.

She added that she hopes to improve local buying options by someday stocking a sampling of natural foods in a store front at the Sunrise Motel, which she and her husband own and manage.

"That way, you could come in and buy one jar, instead of a whole case, if you're interested in trying a product," Dowie said.

For more information on the Little Buying Club on the Prairie, Mahaffay can be reached at 283-9716, Dowie can be reached at the motel, 283-2347, and Sandy Winter can be reached at 283-2966.

Patty Nelson's sixth-grade music students demonstrate for their parents what they learned during a 14-week segment that also satisfied the state graduation standard in the area of artistic creativity and performance. During that time, students were introduced to the guitar and other classroom instruments. In her introduction, Nelson told parents how important music is in the development of young people, and she shared with them information from Don Campbell's "Mozart Effect."

Photo by Lori Ehde

Hills resident Etta DeJongh examines her flower garden Monday morning to see if her bachelor buttons were growing yet this spring. Etta planted the flowers in honor of her mother, Minnie Fikse, and she hopes they survived the long winter.

Photo by Jolene Farley

By Jolene Farley
Senior citizens in Rock County may soon have more options when they reach the point they can no longer be independent and care for themselves.

Mary Jane Brown Good Samaritan Center hosted three focus meetings at The Oaks last Thursday, intended to collect input from the community to determine if there is a senior housing need in the area.

The meetings were led by Linda Studer, Mary Jane Brown Home administrator, Rhona Snyder, The Oaks housing manager, and Brenda Plimpton, MJB community relations coordinator.

Senior groups discussed what current residents like about The Oaks and what they would change if more units, either congregate or assisted living, were built.

In general current tenants seem pleased with the facility, but many expressed a wish that the "hominess" of the facility not be sacrificed.

Staff sees a lot of the residents "aging in place" or not wanting to move, and if other care services could be offered residents wouldnÕt have to move.

This provides incentive for units to be designed as versatile as possible, with the ability to switch from congregate to assisted or vice versa if the need was higher in the other area.

Snyder stressed the popularity of the two-bedroom units at The Oaks. It was mentioned that assisted living units would need to be large because people needing more care generally need more medical devices.

The next step for Mary Jane Brown Good Samaritan Center is completing a market study in Rock County.

If results of the study favor construction, a plan will be submitted to the committee for review.

"Good Samaritan doesn't add facilities unless there is a need in the community," said Plimpton.

Caregivers hope to add both congregate units and assisted living units in Rock County in the near future.

Congregate living facilities like The Oaks are designed for seniors over the age of 62, and while guidelines vary from facility to facility, they usually offer 24-hour emergency call service, provide at least one meal per day, and offer weekly housekeeping and linen services. Units generally have full cooking facilities and offer laundry facilities for those able to do laundry themselves.

Assisted living facilities offer a higher level of care. Designed for seniors over 62 years, units can be full apartments or suites without cooking facilities. Staff is on duty 24 hours to assist with basic personal care and to administer medication or remind patients to take their medication. Three meals per day are offered along with light housekeeping, linen service and laundry service.

Home Health Care services are allowing more seniors to remain in their homes longer. Rock County Home Health, Windom Home Health, Luverne Community Hospital and Hospice are currently the only home health care providers in Rock County, according to Studer.

Nursing homes have become the end-of-life housing option. Rock County nursing homes include Mary Jane Brown Good Samaritan Center and the Minnesota Veterans Nursing Home in Luverne and Tuff Memorial Home in Hills.

The only congregate facility open in Rock County is The Oaks which is operated by the Good Samaritan Society. Tuff Assisted Living Apartments in Hills are tentatively slated to open in July.

Open since December 1999, The Oaks congregate facility currently has 38 people on its waiting list, with all of its 10 2-bedroom and 10 1-bedroom deluxe and eight 1-bedroom apartments full, according to Snyder.

Paving the way in assisted living in Rock County is Tuff Memorial Home in Hills. Groundbreaking ceremonies were Sept. 13, 2000, for the Tuff Assisted Living Apartments. These units are located across the road east of the Tuff Home.

Construction has continued throughout the winter on eight one-bedroom and four two-bedroom apartments.

"Interest has exceeded our expectations," said Bonnie Hengeveld, assistant administrator and manager of Tuff Assisted Living Apartments. "Our board is reviewing completing seven more apartments."

The original floor plan left space in the lower level of the building for expansion in the future, but with 39 on a waiting list Hengeveld thinks more units could be used now.

"It is really important we work together as a county to meet senior needs," said Hengeveld. "After all, they are the ones who got us where we are."

One thing is certain: The opening of new facilities will mean more choices for elderly Rock County residents as they live longer, more independent lives.

The H-BC-E boys also have a lot of returning talent from the 2000 season.

Goehle lists 15 boys in grades nine-12 who should make an impact at the varsity level this season, along with some talented junior high athletes.

Six Patriots return to the team with section experience from last spring, and two of those boys advanced to the state meet.

Last season, H-BC lost five boys to graduation from a team that placed second at the sub-section meet and fifth at the section event.

Ellsworth, a team that finished seventh at the sub-section level, lost a pair of seniors to graduation.

Ryan Behr and Steve Bakken were a pair of senior sprinters who enjoyed outstanding senior seasons.

Behr was a member of H-BC's sub-section champion 400- and 800-meter relays. The 800-meter relay, which set a new sub-section record, went on to place second at the section meet.

Behr also won a sub-section title and placed third at the section meet in the 200-meter dash.
Bakken, who was second to Behr in the 200 at the sub-section level, also was a member of H-BC's 400- and 800-meter relays.

Chris Nelson and Andy Tofteland were solid middle distance runners for H-BC during their senior seasons. They formed one-half of H-BC's 3,200-meter relay, which placed third at the sub-section meet and second at the section attraction.

Tofteland also ran with H-BC's 1,600-meter relay, which finished third in the sub-section without placing at the section level. Tofteland was an individual qualifier for the section meet after placing fourth in the sub-section in the 400-meter dash.

Nathan Fodness was a senior thrower who didnÕt advance past the sub-section level for H-BC last year.

Ellsworth's key loss to graduation was senior exchange student Stephan Gaertner, who was the lone Panther boy to advance to the section meet after finishing fourth in the sub-section long jump. Gaertner didn't make the finals in the long jump at the section event.

Alex Diogenes, another exchange student, was Ellsworth's other senior in 2000.

Considering what they accomplished last season, junior Brad Haak and senior Chris Willers have to be considered leaders of the H-BC-E boys' team in 2001.

Haak emerged as one of the state's top 800-meter runners as a sophomore.

He won the sub-section title and placed second in the section to advance to the state meet in Blaine, where he placed fifth in the Class A field.

Haak also ran with H-BC's 1,600- and 3,200-meter relays last season.

Willers, who was a member of the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 relays in 2000, developed into H-BC's top long sprinter last spring.

He won the sub-section title in the 400-meter dash and earned a trip to state after placing second in the section during that event. Willers did not make the finals in the 400 at state.

Willers is expected to run races between 200 and 800 meters this season. He also may throw the shot.

Goehle expects Chris Fransman and Vlad Pastushenko, who round out the 2001 senior members of the team, to play key roles for the squad.

Fransman is a talented high jumper who also runs sprints.

The owner of H-BC's high jump standard, Fransman won the sub-section title in that event and placed fourth in the 100-meter dash at the sub-section meet. He also was a member of H-BC's 400- and 800-meter relays. Fransman was fourth in the high jump at the section meet.

Pastushenko, an exchange student, has displayed a lot of potential in the pre-season.

Goehle says he is an excellent long and triple jumper who also can run sprints.

Junior Matt Buck, sophomore Chris Reid and eighth-grader Tyler Bush return to the team after qualifying for the section meet in 2000.

Buck, an athlete who can run races up to 800 meters as well as throw the shot put, placed third in the sub-section in the triple jump last season. He also ran with H-BC's 1,600-meter relay at the sub-section meet before being replaced by Willers at the section event.

Reid and Bush, who ran with H-BC's 400- and 1,600-meter relays respectively, placed in individual events at the section meet. Reid, who was third in the 100-meter dash during the sub-section meet, placed sixth in that event at the section level. Bush was second in the sub-section and eighth in the section in the 1,600-meter run.

Bush is expected to run 800s and 1,600s in 2001. Reid will run sprints and long jump.

Five more juniors are expected to help the H-BC-E varsity team this spring.

Nathan Fick is a quality distance runner, while Randy Krull, Lee Walraven and Ryan Ranschau are expected to be throwers. Walraven also will run sprints.

Jeremy Tiesler, a jumper, rounds out the junior members of the team.

Pat Nelson joins Reid as the sophomore members of the H-BC-E team. Nelson will be a thrower.

Freshman members of the squad include Lee Jackson, Cayd Boltjes and Derek Klaassen.

Klaassen is a thrower, Boltjes a sprinter and Jackson can run races between 200 and 3,200 meters.

Like the girls, Goehle expects some seventh- and eighth-graders to step up and help what should be a good H-BC-E varsity boys' team.

"We're really looking forward to get the season under way," Goehle said. "We'll be as strong as we've ever been in covering every event on both the boys' and girls' sides. We've always been competitive as teams, but we feel we're even more competitive with Ellsworth joining us. The kids would like to do well throughout the year, and they also have set the goal of getting some individuals and relays to the state meet."

By John Rittenhouse
A sharing agreement involving Hills-Beaver Creek and Ellsworth high schools will include every sport this spring.

The schools have shared baseball and golf programs in the past. Now a combined track and field program can be added to the list.

The H-BC-E track and field teams will compete together for the first time in 2001, and all indications point toward a successful merger.

"We're really excited about being together with Ellsworth for the first time," said H-BC-E coach Tom Goehle. "We'll be getting some quality kids from Ellsworth this year, and it gives us a great future."

Goehle has reason to be giddy about teaming up with Ellsworth in track.

H-BC sent three athletes to last year's state meet alone. Add the two state qualifiers Ellsworth has coming back, and the H-BC-E program has five individuals with exposure to the state classic.

H-BC-E also will have a combined 16 athletes who advanced to last year's section meet competing in the same program in 2001, which leads area coaches to believe the Patriots have the potential to contend for Sub-Section 10 titles in late May.

The sharing agreement should give the Patriot girls' team a big boost this spring.

If some of the athletes can recover from injuries as the season progresses, H-BC-E will have 10 girls returning with section experience, including three who advanced to state last season.

Both teams did have to pay a price at graduation time last spring. H-BC lost two girls from a team that placed fifth in the sub-section meet, and Ellsworth lost two kids from a team that placed seventh at the sub-section level.

Ellsworth's 2000 seniors, Heather DeLeeuw and Janet May, did not advance to the section meet.

H-BC, however, lost two of nine girls who represented the school at the section level.

Nichole Top was a solid sprinter for the H-BC team last spring, placing second in the sub-section in the 200-meter dash without securing a place in that event at the section meet. She also was a member of H-BC's 400- and 800-meter relays, which placed second and third at the sub-section meet respectively. The 400-meter relay went on to place fifth at the section meet.

Rachel Krull was a strong 800-meter runner for H-BC last season. She was a member of H-BC's 3,200-meter relay that placed fourth in the sub-section meet without placing at the section level.

As the Patriots prepare for the 2001 season, Goehle has 16 girls in grades eight-12 who should make an impact at the varsity level this season.

The roster is topped by seniors Shanna Tilstra, Janelle Jenniges, Connie Lewis and Kati Meurer.
In Jenniges and Lewis, Goehle has two top-notch performers who became the first girls from EHS to perform at a state meet last season.

Jenniges set school records while placing first and second in the 1,600- and 800-meter runs during last year's sub-section meet. She went on to place fourth in the 800 at the section level but earned a trip to state by placing second in the 1,600. Jenniges placed 10th in the Class A 1,600-meter run at state.

Lewis had an outstanding junior season, too.

She placed second in the sub-section and second in the section meet to earn a trip to state in the triple jump. Lewis didn't qualify for the finals in her event at state.

Goehle expects to use Lewis' wide variety of talents as a jumper, hurdler and a thrower this spring. Jenniges will run 400s and 800s as well as the 1,600 for H-BC-E.

While Meurer is a first-year track member who has yet to define what events she will compete in, Goehle knows what Tilstra can do.

Tilstra, who runs anything between 200 and 800 meters, was a member of H-BC's 400- and 1,600-meter relays last season. The 1,600-meter relay placed second in the sub-section and third at the section meet in 2001.

Stress fracture problems will keep Tilstra from competing early in the season, but she should return to the team before the end of April.

Four juniors are expected to perform well for the Patriots this spring.

Becky Broesder, the H-BC record-holder in the triple jump, may not be able to compete for the Patriots after a solid sophomore season. Broesder had knee surgery after the basketball season and would return to the track team in late May at best.

Broesder placed second in the sub-section and third at the section meet in the triple jump last season. She also was a member of H-BC's 400-, 800- and 1,600-meter relays.

Bev Wurpts is an EHS junior who competed in last yearÕs section meet. Wurpts placed third in the sub-section and fourth in the section in the 1,600-meter run. She will run distances between 800 and 3,200 meters this spring.

Brittney Olson and LaDonna Sandstede are other junior members of the team. Olson will run 400s and 800s. Sandstede is a sprinter.

Sarah Rozeboom tops a group of four sophomores who show varsity promise.

Rozeboom, who was a member of H-BC's 3,200-meter relay last season, runs anything between 100 and 800 meters. She also will compete in field events.

Kelsey Hansel, Angie Bush and Heather Albers are sophomores without section exposure.

Albers is trying the pole vault, and Bush will pole vault and run hurdles. Hansel will run, throw and compete in other field events.

Cassi Tilstra leads a strong group of four sophomores who competed at the section meet as freshmen.

Tilstra, who runs anything between 200 and 800 meters, is the defending sub-section and section champion in the 400-meter dash. She did not qualify for the finals at the state meet. Tilstra also ran with H-BCÕs 800- and 1,600-meter relay teams last season.

Erin Boeve is another sophomore coming off a strong freshman season.

Boeve won a sub-section title in the 100-meter dash and was fourth at that level in the long jump last year. She went on to place fourth in the 100 and sixth in the long jump at the section meet. Boeve, who will jump and run sprints this year, also ran with H-BC's 400- and 1,600-meter relays last season.

Melinda Feucht and Brittney Rozeboom are freshmen who ran with H-BC's 3,200-meter relay last season. Both Feucht and Rozeboom run races between 100 and 1,600 meters, and they are jumpers. Feucht may throw the shot put this season.

Goehle has a lot of seventh- and eighth-graders who could help the varsity squad this spring.

Mattie LeBarre, an athlete who can run many distances, is an eighth-grader who tops the list.

"We had 30 boys and girls in the seventh and eighth grades out for track this year, which is great for our future. Both the boys' and girls' teams will get help from some of these kids this year," Goehle said.

The Hills City Council and Economic Development Association discussed the fate of three downtown buildings during their meeting Tuesday night.

Plans of the Hills Post Office moving into the city office are on hold. No new construction will be approved until at least September, and there is a possibility some offices will be closed, according to a letter received by the council from the Postal Service.

The council discussed offering the space previously earmarked for the post office for rent but instead decided to wait until the end of the Postal Service's fiscal year in September to see if current budget problems are worked out.

"We can hold off for four months," said Langford. "We don't have anyone hot for it. We have other buildings available."

A motion passed to hire structural engineers Bether and Associates, Sioux Falls, to evaluate cracks in the Legion Building. Although the cracks have been in the legion walls for years they have widened and shifted over the winter, according to Connie Wiertzema, City Clerk.

The evaluation is made more difficult because the majority of the walls are paneled in the structure. "We need to hire these guys to see if the building is going to be condemned," said Langford.

In their final business on buildings Tuesday, the Hills EDA decided to offer the American Salvage Building up for bid. "We can sell it as is or we can fix it, but we would need more money for it if we fix it," said Langford.

The city recently received a $9,000 insurance payment for damage incurred when the building buckled from snow weight.

The motion passed to advertise the building for sale by sealed bid with the right to refuse any and all bids. Bids will be opened May 8 and must include intended use for the property.

In other council news:
oSioux Valley Telephone Company has reached an agreement to purchase the Hills cable system from McLeod USA. Denny Law, general manager of Hills Telephone, was present to request the council approve the transfer.

There would be no immediate changes to channels or rates, according to Law. Sioux Valley Telephone Company currently operates cable systems in Dell Rapids, Montrose, Corsica and Plankinton, S.D.
oThe council wants to establish an interest-free loan program to help residents replace sidewalks that have deteriorated and need to be replaced.

Most of the new neighborhoods in Hills do not have sidewalks, and some residents in older neighborhoods are asking to remove their sidewalks rather than repair them.

Council members were contacted by their insurance carrier and encouraged to make a stronger effort to repair, replace or remove hazardous sidewalks.

oThe council is sending letters to residents in Hills who have junk cars parked at their residences. If the cars are not removed, they can be ticketed and the vehicles towed.

oA motion by Dana Dahlquist to move the council meetings from 6 to 7 p.m. during the summer was defeated.